


Open Hearts and Home

by AutumnSwitch



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Adoption, Adoptive Parents - Freeform, Between Consenting Adults, F/M, Family, Fluff, Foster dads, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mild Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 20:46:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15227553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutumnSwitch/pseuds/AutumnSwitch
Summary: After retiring from his station as Merlin, Gregory McDonough settles into life with his husband Eggsy.  He supports their household as a homemaker and a stay-at-home foster parent.  Over the past 7 years, they've opened their hearts and home to nearly a dozen children.  Most only remained in placement with them for a month or two before reuniting with family members.  Aiden, however, entered their lives at six months old and never left.Two and a half years have passed since Aiden was placed in their arms and now Merlin and Eggsy prepare to sign over guardianship to another couple.I promise it's not sad.  And no one dies... so there's that.





	Open Hearts and Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eggsyobsessed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eggsyobsessed/gifts).



> EggsyObsessed challenged me to write something fluffy.  
> When I asked for prompts, they seemed to include: Merwin, Family, Kids, and two quotes.  
> "I'm Old Greg" and "He's three years old. What is he going to do with a pair of shoes like that?” were particularly fun to incorporate in the story.

Eggsy gave a huff as he scowled down the bed. Merlin was lifting his leg to his shoulder, trying to get them into a position they hadn’t succeeded in for over a decade. “Babe?”

“Relax, love, ye’re too tense.” Merlin danced his fingers over the inside of Eggsy’s thigh, from knee to groin. He felt Eggsy quiver under his touch and he keened. “God save me, ye are beautiful.”

Eggsy twisted stiffly on the mattress, bemoaning, “I'm old, Greg.” He was grateful when Merlin guided his leg back to a horizontal position. Though Merlin sat between his knees, Eggsy didn’t complain at being just a little exposed, not when Merlin’s hands were smoothing up and down his sides.

“Limber still, and gorgeous as ever.” Merlin gave the bones of Eggsy’s hips a gentle pinch and sighed. “Let’s not have anymore birthdays.”

Eggsy agreed with him for the seventh year in a row. Since Merlin had retired, he’d been bargaining with God and whatever powers that be for another year of youth, of good health.

The mattress creaked as Merlin crawled to Eggsy’s side. “I love ye, m’lad.” He pressed his lips to the nape of Eggsy’s neck and settled more comfortably as the big spoon. His little laugh bounced against Eggsy’s back. “Always be my lad. Ye do smell a might older today. Is that eu de Bengay?”

“Can it, codger.” Eggsy sat into the bend of Merlin’s waist. “My back’s been acting up. All that sitting around on my arse, barking orders and drawing up reports.”

“Aye.” His warm hand found the soreness of Eggsy’s back and rubbed soothing circles over his spine. “A desk job will age ye quicker than ye’d think.” Merlin’s voice took on a false tone of pity. “Sloane was only forty-five at retirement. Poor, bird.”

“Bugger off.” Eggsy had himself a chuckle as he hugged Merlin’s arm to his chest. Their previous Arthur was fit as a fiddle, even if she had gained the figure of one after moving into a more sedentary lifestyle. When Sloane had stepped down earlier that year, she was rounding seventy and wore every wrinkle and grey hair with pride. 

“You’re doing a wonderful job,” Merlin mumbled against the sleep-warmed skin of Eggsy’s shoulder. He gave it a tender nip. “Arthur’s a heavy mantle and ye carry it well.”

They stayed tangled in each other’s limbs until the light knocking of tiny fist to wood drew their attention to the doorway.

“I’m up.” A small voice called out from the hall.

Merlin slipped into a robe and a pair of moccasins, padded across the room, and opened the door to greet the young one with a smile. “So I see, Aiden. And all dressed?”

The little boy’s hair was slicked back and shiny with hardened gel he’d likely found in the guest room ensuite; his clothes were an impressive mismatch of swim shorts, t-shirt, cardigan, and rainboots. “I picked it meself. London weather, yeah?” he said with a shake of his head, expression embittered beyond his years.

Merlin smiled. “Aye, an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure.” He watched Aiden’s face screw up in thought.

“I agree. Time for breaky?”

Closing his eyes against fear of a kitchen mess, Merlin asked with the caution of experience, “Did ye make us breakfast as well, sweetling?”

Aiden shook his head, eyes wide. “Not to touch the fire. It’s pancakes day.”

Merlin glanced back at the bedroom to see Eggsy drag himself to the closet. He shut the door behind him and walked the boy down the hall. 

“Pancake day, hmm?” That wasn’t a thing, but Aiden looked hopeful. With a pat to that sticky, little head, Merlin wondered if they had ingredients to fulfill the wish.

-o-o-o-

Merlin closed the folder over his stack of paperwork and set a firm look on his husband.

“He's three years old.” Merlin’s jaw was set to refrain from grinding his teeth. “What is Aiden going to do with a pair of shoes like that?” The boxes he had found in Aiden’s closet weren’t the only thing that had him on edge, but it was easier to blame that than the forms he was stalling to sign.

“A pair of winged trainers, with glowing laces, and pressure lights?” Eggsy sounded shocked that Merlin couldn’t see their inherent value. “Oh, I don’t know… shoes like that, I think Aiden could rule the world. Don’t you?” Eggsy patted the young boy on the head, watching the tiny face break into a lopsided grin.

“From the rooftops,” the body added with an excited lisp.

Eggsy paled. He really shouldn’t have regaled his glory days of free running to one so young. Merlin was sure to tear into him for that. “From the jungle gym. He's a bit excited. No one's running on rooftops.”

“But you said--”

“Biscuits and naptime,” Eggsy continued in a rush. “Yes, I do believe I mentioned biscuits and naptime. Come, I’ll show you where the old man hides his chocolate.” 

Eggsy pleaded, ‘don’t kill me,’ with his eyes as he and Aiden ducked out of the office.

Merlin was frowning when Eggsy returned. “Not the pair of shoes I was referring to, now, was it?”

Eggsy bit his lips to feign a meek expression. Quietly, he closed the box Merlin had in front of him and slid it slowly from Merlin's reach. “You never saw this.”

Merlin stopped the box with a finger and a pointed stare. “There's a knife in the right toe cap.”

“No poison though,” Eggsy defended. “I told them specifically--”

“The laces are strong enough for garottes.”

Eggsy's brow twitched as it furrowed. “It's for emergencies only.”

“He's three.”

“But he'll be so far.” Eggsy’s pout wouldn’t work, but his blue eyes shone in the afternoon light. 

The look tugged on Merlin’s already aching heart. Still, he held his ground. “Cross town is nae far.” 

“And, my Merlin, people are cruel.”

“Don’t ye ‘my Merlin’ me. Haven’t been in office for years and the work I do now is important as any of the missions we carried out in the service. But, love, sending Aiden off with a pair of Kingsman oxfords won't make him any friends.”

“I can have them brogued, if it'll sway you to let him stay.”

“Ye always yearn to keep the ones who remind ye of yourself.”

Eggsy watched the second hand of the old clock on Merlin’s desk tick its jaunting circle. “This one more reminds me of you.”

The pronouncement knocked him back. Nonetheless, Merlin knew what they were doing was right. “Foster care is a stepping stone. I’m grateful he’s been placed with the Parkers. As are you, bear ye keep in mind.”

“But that neighborhood is--”

Merlin covered Eggsy’s hand across the desk. “Ye worry too much.”

“And you haven’t signed over guardianship.”

There was silence between them as their eyes fell to the folder due to be dropped off by evening.

After awhile, Merlin whispered, his voice nearly echoing through the stillness of the office. “I have mints in the top drawer.” The statement carried with it a tone of desire.

Eggsy’s eyes snapped to the hallway and he went to shut the door. “Don’t change the subject, Mr. McDonough.”

Merlin reclined a bit in his chair, his knees spread a bit wider than was his usual posture. “I rather liked the sensation of wintergreen gum when ye’d sucked me off New Year’s Eve.”

Eggsy narrowed his eyes on his husband with affection. “You’re a dirty old man. Don’t distract me with that; this is important.”

Merlin licked his lips and lifted his chin, encouraging Eggsy around the desk. 

Eggsy worried his bottom lip as he complied. He dropped his voice. “Aiden’s just next door, not fully asleep yet.”

“Then we best be quiet and quick.” Merlin tugged Eggsy into his lap for a kiss. “And won’t it be wonderful when we have the house to ourselves for awhile, before we open doors to another sweetling in need of home?”

Eggsy felt Merlin twitch against his arse. “I thought I hid the blue pills after last time.”

Merlin’s eyes were dark, his voice huskier with arousal. “This is all me, love. All me, looking at you.”

Eggsy swooned at the heat of Merlin’s mouth against his neck. Merlin’s hand around his waist, coiling arousal deep in his gut. Eggsy tipped his head back and Merlin took advantage of the access to his throat. As he hummed in approval, Eggsy reached blindly for the top drawer of Merlin’s desk and fished out the tin of peppermints.

-o-o-o-

Eggsy pressed himself into Merlin’s side, wishing not for the first time he could bury himself into his husband and never leave. They stood in the doorway of the nursery-turned-child’s bedroom as Aiden slept his last nap in their home. “I'm going to miss him.”

“Aye.” Merlin held Eggsy about the shoulders as Eggsy’s arms hugged him around the middle. “Two-and-a-half-years. House won't be the same. It never is. But it's time he had permanent placement.”

“They're a strong couple. A loving household.”

“The best.”

“And we’ll see him, yeah?”

Merlin kissed Eggsy’s forehead with a smile. “Don't think there's a reason we wouldn't.”

At the front door was a knock and the sound of a lock. 

“Hullo?” Michelle, her daughter, and her son-in-law let themselves in. “Is my darling grandson awake?” Michelle asked, not bothering to be subtle that her main interest was in Aiden and not the men greeting her with kisses to her cheeks.

“Nae, but I'm sure he'll hear the rattle of ginger biscuits in your tin and come running. Hullo Daisy, Paul.” Merlin welcomed them through the foyer where tea was set out in the main living space.

Daisy was breathless. “I can't believe the day is finally here.” She set down a backpack and parked rolling luggage by the hallway for Aiden to pack when he was ready. 

Eggsy gathered his sister into a hug and invited his guests to the sofa. 

Nervous energy buzzed in the room, no one quite knowing where to begin. 

Daisy began. “I know we agreed to wait until first holiday to have you over for a visit.” Her husband took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “But if you’d like to come earlier...”

“Nae,” Merlin spoke before Eggsy could jump on the opportunity. “It’s important he makes a home with ye.” Passing out tea, he gave each of them an reassuring nod. “Christmas is nigh a month away. Ye can call us at any time, but we decided together to give ye time as a family.”

Aiden shuffled into the sitting room, interrupting the adults. He rubbed sleep from his eyes and yawned. “Nan?” he greeted Michelle with a croak. “I dreamed good. I can have two biscuits. Or more if you want.” Before truly waking, Aiden found his way to the couch and wedged himself between Michelle and Paul. 

With a tear in her eye, Daisy looked upon them fondly.

“We can each start with one,” Michelle suggested. “This batch baked heavy on the ginger.”

“OK,” the boy said, holding his hands in his lap patiently. He looked up at Paul with a conspiratorial smile. “We can put icing when we get home.”

Daisy sniffed and Paul’s hand held hers tighter. Eggsy leaned into Merlin with a contented sigh.

Within the hour, the professionals would arrive to declare everything official, but to them they were already family.


End file.
